US Congress and Intelligence Operations

''The emotional involvement on both sides of the Central American debate exaggerates the problem, but the significance of what was said is that the Speaker said it. It would have been just as dangerous conceptually and institutionally if he had talked about a covert action in Scotland,'' said Representative Henry J. Hyde of Illinois, the senior Republican on the House intelligence committee.The last comment leaves me wondering if Hyde was actually aware that the CIA was using the TEREX Company in Motherwell - Scotland - to provide mobile Scud launchers to the Iraqis, in violation of the UN embargo.In the aftermath of the Congressional investigations of the Iran-contra affair, a legislative recommendation was proposed that would require the President to notify Congress within 48 hours about covert operations undertaken by the executive branch. The text was approved by the Senate earlier this year but House leaders have decided not to take it up. Read full story